Herald Palladium reports what it wants, how it wants (or how Whirlpool wants)- truth be damned. Always keep this in mind when reading this "paper."Example: City Editor reports below that Rev. Pinkney is still in prison (he's been at home since 12/24)

"I'd say what goes around comes around," said the 23-year-old Benton Harbor man, interviewed Tuesday at his father's house.

Sanders is one of 24 people whose drug convictions Berrien County Prosecutor Arthur Cotter said should not stand. Cotter, noting Collins' criminal behavior as a Benton Harbor Police Department narcotics officer, is seeking dismissals of the convictions.

However, Cotter's efforts are almost academic for Sanders, who completed a 16-month prison term last April for possession of narcotics less than 50 grams. BANCO AND BH RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE SANDERS AND MANY, MANY OTHERS SUE BERRIEN COUNTY AND BHPD FOR 10 MILLION EACH]

"One of the things I'm mad about is I spent time in prison for no good reason," said the slender, softspoken Sanders. He said "scary" isn't a powerful enough word for prison life in Jackson. He can't get back the time spent in prison, but he said he would like redress. He said he wants to sue and is looking for a lawyer.

He said it's improbable that Collins' supervisors didn't know the young detective was skirting the rules. [CHIEF MINGO, AL COTTER, PETE MITCHELL, AND ON UP KNEW ALL ABOUT COLLIN'S AND OTHERS' ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. THIS OF COURSE HAS NEVER BEEN REPORTED.]

He said it was known on the street that Collins was dirty. "People'd run if they saw Collins," he said.

Sanders said he filed a harassment complaint with the department against Collins in July 2006.[CHIEF MINGO DID NOTHING] He said Collins had stopped him and searched him four times in previous weeks for walking through areas known for drug sales. [COLLINS AND OTHER COPS WHO DO THIS HAVE NO RIGHT]

Sanders said his arrest came the day after he filed the harassment complaint.[THIS SAYS EVERYTHING ABOUT MINGO]

Deputy Chief Randel Pompey said he couldn't respond to Sanders' claims because all department records pertaining to Collins had been turned over the FBI.

Sanders was arrested along with Quacy Roberts as they walked along High Street on a hot July afternoon. Roberts and Sanders said in separate interviews that Collins was working with another city narcotics officer, who had to have known how Collins operated.

Roberts, 32, athletically built and more animated than Sanders, said the two officers during the course of the arrest and processing at the police department produced three rocks of crack cocaine no larger than rice kernels. Furthermore, Roberts said the officers used the state's civil forfeiture law to seize from him $1,500 in cash - which Roberts said his mother gave him so he could buy siding for her house.

But he said the civil forfeiture paperwork listed the take at $15. He said he wonders what happened to the other $1,485. [CRIME ROLLS ON IN THE BHPD. COPS HAVE BEEN STEALING MONEY FOR YEARS FROM BH RESIDENTS. NEVER REPORTED.]

Among the questions surrounding the reversed convictions is whether the city will have to reimburse those who lost cash, cars and other items - some of which were sold with the money supporting the department. [NOTHING WAS "LOST" - IT WAS STOLEN - AND SHOULD ALL BE RETURNED: CASH, CARS, AND OTHER ITEMS. FULL REPARATIONS ARE REQUIRED. H-P EDITOR SHOULD SUPPORT THIS.]

City Manager Richard Marsh said he is studying the question. [MARSH SHOULD BE FIRED]

Cotter is seeking to have Roberts' conviction for narcotics possession less than 25 grams dismissed. Like Sanders, Roberts had already served his time, one year in the Berrien County jail. He was released in November. He said he talked to one lawyer about suing the city.

Prosecutors offered him plea bargains after the arrest, but he said was certain he could beat the charge at trial because there was no physical evidence linking him to the drugs. [UNTIL COLLINS PLANTED THE DRUGS]

It didn't work out that way.

He said his jury was all white and unwilling to believe police officers were capable of concocting evidence. [AT LEAST THE TRUTH IS COMING OUT: POLICE & THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE DISHONEST & OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THE LAW. HONEST REPORTING COULD HAVE CHANGED ALL OF THIS.]

Sanders said he accepted a plea deal, bucking advice from Edward Pinkney, the outspoken critic of Berrien County's court system who is now in prison for threats issued against a Berrien judge. (what?) [REV. EDWARD PINKNEY KNEW THAT COLLINS WAS PLANTING DRUGS ON PEOPLE AND HE SPOKE ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES AT CITY COMMISSION MTGS. NOTHING WAS EVER DONE. DEFENSE ATTY. BRIAN BERGER WAS WORKING WITH PROSECUTOR COTTER - PINKNEY SPOKE TO BERGER ABOUT 3 PLANTINGS ON A. GIBBS, C. MCKINNEY, Q. ROBERTS - BERGER AIDED AND ABETTED PROSECTOR COTTER TO GET THEM ALL CONVICTED. AGAIN, WHERE WERE THE OBJECTIVE REPORTS?]

"I was scared of what they would do to me if I took it to trial and I lost," Sanders said.[ANYONE IN COURT IN BERRIEN HAS REASON TO BE SCARED. EVEN THE MEDIA WILL SUPPORT THEIR ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS, IMPRISONMENT.]

Word of Collins' ways had reached at least two defense lawyers. Scott Sanford, on the Berrien drug court roster of court-appointed lawyers, said Collins' arrest "didn't come as a shock to me and a lot of other defense attorneys. ... Where there's smoke, there is fire." [HE DID NOTHING MAKING HIM AS GUILTY AS COLLINS]

Sanford, based in St. Joseph, called the Collins situation "sickening because we have to rely on those police reports. And I'm sure the law enforcement community feels the same way."[SANFORD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THIS AND FAILED]

St. Joseph lawyer Brian Berger, also on that roster, said he heard of the problems.[REV. PINKNEY TOLD BERGER POSSIBLY 20 TIMES THAT DRUGS WERE BEING PLANTED.]

"Defendants at times claimed there was some wrongdoing on Officer Collins' part, but that was never proven," he said.

Berger said prosecutors, judges, juries and even defense lawyers rely on police reports and testimony as the most reliable building blocks in criminal cases. [IN BERRIEN COUNTY, THEY DO NOT WANT PROOF - ONLY CONVICTIONS]

"I don't believe police officers up and down the line are lying," Berger said.[NOT ONLY ARE THEY LYING, BUT SO IS BERGER, SINCE HE KNEW THE TRUTH]

"I think (Collins) is an isolated case. At least I hope it's an isolated case."[COLLINS MAY BE ARRESTED, BUT DRUG PLANTING AND ALL THE REST GOES ON TODAY IN BERRIEN COUNTY - BERGER KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT AS DOES THE ENTIRE COURTHOUSE & THE MEDIA.]

Former BHPD narcotics officer could serve up to 40 years for contraband frameupsBy David Warfield H-P Wed., Jan. 28, 2009 GRAND RAPIDS - Former Benton Harbor Police officer Andrew Collins pleaded guilty Monday to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine, federal authorities announced Tuesday.

For the felony conviction, Collins faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum 40 years and up to a $2 million fine. [BANCO AND CITIZENS OF BH BELIEVE HE DESERVES 40 YEARS/20M]

Collins, 26, was indicted in December by a U.S. District Court grand jury in December.[SHOULD HAVE BEEN INDICTED AT LEAST TWO YEARS SOONER]

The charge stemmed from a February 2008 police department investigation that turned up a large stash of drugs in Collins' police locker. [POLICE CHIEF MINGO'S LOCKER SHOULD BE CHECKED]

The drugs, including about nine grams of cocaine, some marijuana, and heroin, should have been recorded and stored as evidence, but Collins instead kept them for his own gain.

In his plea, Collins admitted to keeping drugs seized during arrests, then reporting false and fictitious purchases and using the drugs he held to improperly secure warrants and make arrests in other cases. [WE HOPE HE DECIDES TO BE HONEST TO STOP THE SUFFERING. TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT MINGO, PETE MITCHELL, BERNARD HALL, ART COTTER, AND ON AND ON]

Collins quit the Benton Harbor force Feb. 20, 2008 - two days after the drugs were found in his locker. Two days later Collins was convicted in the Berrien County Trial Court on an assault charge stemming from a bar fight in November 2007. He was later put on probation for the assault conviction.

Collins was free on bond before pleading guilty Monday to the drug charges. He is now back in custody and will be sent to a federal prison after sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Delaney said Tuesday. [AFTER 100'S OF FAMILIES HAVE BEEN RUINED BY DRUG PLANTING (FRAMING), BANCO HOPES HE GETS 40 YEARS]

In a press release, Delaney said the U.S. Attorney's office in Grand Rapids is working with authorities to "seek out and remedy" wrongful convictions resulting from Collins' misconduct.[U.S. ATTYS. IN GR ARE FORCING BERRIEN COUTNY PROSECUTOR ART COTTER TO SEEK OUT AND REMEDY WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS]In December, Berrien County Prosecutor Arthur Cotter asked courts to reverse convictions against 24 people convicted of drug charges based on evidence obtained by Collins.[THERE SHOULD BE WELL OVER 100 REVERSED CONVICTIONS PROSECUTED BY COTTER BASED ON EVIDENCE OBTAINED BY COLLINS]Cotter said last month he sought court orders to release those in prison for the offenses, and that he is seeking a retrial for two of the 24 improperly convicted. [COTTER NEEDS TO BE TRIED!]

Sunday, January 25, 2009

[It cannot be emphasized enough that Berrien County is an example of corporatism, sometimes referred to as corporate facism: government and people controlled by corporation (Whirlpool). This applies especially to Benton Harbor where Whirlpool has been doing all in it's power to remove by any means necessary the African-American population in order to construct an enormous, oversized, environmentally ruinous resort for the wealthy. All things described by K. Allen in the partial article below can only happen with Whirlpool's approval and a lot of assistance from Paul Bailey's Sheriff Dept.]

Mingo: Proposed board is 'an attempt to be more transparent' in light of criminal investigations of city's police department By K. Allen H-P 1/24/09

Benton Harbor residents may soon have a new outlet to air their grievances about the city's police department. [SO THEY'RE BEING TOLD.]

The City Commission is scheduled to decide at its next meeting, Feb. 2, whether to create a Citizen Police Review Board to address situations in which people may have been victims of police misconduct.

The Benton Harbor Police Department's image has been blemished by three criminal [cop]cases in the past few months. [DEFINITELY NOT THREE CRIMINAL COP CASES. PROBABLY OVER 100 CASES OF POLICE CRIMINAL CONDUCT IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS ALONE. THERE HAS BEEN NO REPORTING OF THESE CASES, AND NO ACTION TAKEN AGAINST THE COPS.]

Federal authorities indicted former narcotics detective Andrew Collins on drug trafficking charges Dec. 1, and Berrien County Prosecutor Arthur Cotter has requested dismissals of more than 20 convictions that were based on Collin's evidence or testimony. [THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT CHIEF AL MINGO AND COLLIN'S PARTNER BERNARD HALL SHOULD ALSO BE INDICTED ON THE SAME CHARGES. IF JUSTICE IS ACTUALLY CARRIED OUT IN BERRIEN, THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE AT LEAST 100 DISMISSALS OF CONVICTIONS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. PROSECUTOR ARTHUR COTTER HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE DRUG PLANTING SCHEME FOR MANY YEARS.]

Michigan State Police are also investigating an Oct. 27 break-in at the department in which two guns, some police radios and paperwork were stolen. [CHIEF MINGO HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND WAS AN ACCESSORY TO THESE CRIMES.] Another case being investigated allegedly involves a former officer who sold abandoned and impounded cars. [CHIEF MINGO CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA, AND PUT AN OFFICER IN THE PUBLIC INSPECTION DEPT. SO HE COULD HAVE EASY ACCESS TO CARS TO TOW AND SELL ON EBAY.]

"In light of some of the things that have taken place, (the review board) is an attempt to be more transparent," Police Chief Al Mingo said in a phone interview. "We're in full rebuilding mode here. We're trying to do what we can to gain the confidence and trust of the community and just move forward." [CHIEF MINGO WILL GAIN THE MOST PUBLIC TRUST BY FIRING HIMSELF. THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM IS THEN TRUSTING WHIRLPOOL TO "INSTALL" A CHIEF OF INTEGRITY WHO WILL TRULY SERVE THE PUBLIC. BENTON HARBOR HAS BEEN WAITING A VERY LONG TIME FOR THIS.]

If approved, the review board would consist of four city commissioners and three citizens selected by the city manager and approved by the City Commission. Meetings would be held monthly but not be open to the public. [NOTE: "NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC." THIS MEETING AND ALL MEETINGS SHOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. BY "CLOSING" MEETINGS, A CLEAR SIGNAL IS GIVEN THAT MEMBERS ARE OPERATING IN SECRET.]

[TO BE AN EFFECTIVE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, IT SHOULD NOT HAVE FOUR CITY COMMISSIONERS, ONLY ONE. (WITH FOUR, THE OUTCOME OF EVERY MEETING CAN BE CONTROLLED BY THE COMMISSIONERS.)]

[THE POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD SHOULD BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY ELECTED BY BENTON HARBOR RESIDENTS. THE QUESTION ARISES: WOULD WHIRLPOOL, MINGO, THE COMMISSIONERS, AND MARSH BE WILLING TO BE THIS DEMOCRATIC? THIS INDEPENDENT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT BOARD SHOULD HAVE SUBPOENA POWER. WITHOUT IT, THE BOARD HAS NO POWER TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY FROM POLICE OFFICERS AND CITY RESIDENTS.]

[THE ONLY WAY THIS DECADES-OLD MESS CAN BE CLEANED UP IS WITH AN EFFECTIVE CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT BOARD WITH SUBPOENA POWER. NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE WITH BOARD MEMBERS CHOSEN BY COMMISSIONERS OR BY THE CITY MANAGER. POLICE ARE KNOWN FOR CORRUPTION, PROTECTING EACH OTHER, AND LYING.]

[WILL RESIDENTS STAND UP AND DEMAND REAL CHANGE FOR THE POLICE DEPT?]

Marsh said he already has asked Mingo to provide a report with a history of the Collins situation, the department's response to the former detective's alleged offenses and what policies could be implemented to prevent such a situation from happening again. [EVEN AFTER COLLINS WAS ARRESTED, DRUGS ARE STILL BEING PLANTED BY COPS WITH COTTER AND MINGO'S PRIOR KNOWLEDGE. DRUG PLANTING AS RECENT AS LAST WEEK HAS BEEN REPORTED.]

Thursday, January 22, 2009

---Seems to me like every case he [Collins]touched will have to be (a) reviewed and (b) almost certainly tossed. The bigger part of the effort will be making crystal clear to the people of Benton Harbor that it was the cop's wrongdoing that causes such a result.

---When criminal law doesn't jive with the will of the people, rotten corrupted law enforcement will surely follow. I'm amazed more cops aren't on the take in the drug game...that is the only surprise to me. Prohibition is a license to steal and cheat.

It seems that if you are not a celebrity or a citizen with an abundant bank account, then you are not "community news." Jason McGee was a citizen and resident of Benton Harbor. It was only as good as the story could last when the HP reported Jason McGee's whereabouts concerning the murder with falsehoods and painted an ugly picture to the citizens of Benton Harbor. Then they had to recant the story because it was proven that Jason was not part of a gang, never had violence been apart of his life. But when I asked if this story could resurface in the Herald Palladium, reporter Dalgleish told me that its "not community news." What is community news? Jason is a black man unjustly done wrong in his teenage life and he is not considered "community news."

It is the responsiblity of the journalist to keep the citizens of Benton Harbor aware of what is going in our justice system concerning our town be it black, white, or any other race. The purpose of the newspaper is to inform us about the community and what goes on in it. We rarely get good news of what upstanding black people are doing in the community that supports positivity! [nor the truth about injustice being metted out daily by cops and in the courthouse: the HP is complicit]

Bringing AwarenessSubmitted Mon, 9/24/2007

I'm excited to see there is a forum for information and awareness for all of us to explore.

I'm just reminding people to keep their minds locked on the name Jason McGee. Jason Mcgee is from Benton Harbor. He was sent to prison at the age of 17, fresh out of high school, and on his way to college the next year. He had no prior juvenile record and his dreams were halted. Please be aware that talking to someone about snitching is not a bad thing - it's a genuine concern for the community to get involved. If you are unfamiliar with this story the Herald Palladium ran a "version" of it in the summer of 1992.

Jason McGee did not tell on a friend and was sentenced to 14-25 years in Prison for second degree murder. Murder of a kid who tried to rob him and friend. His friend did the crime but did not do the time. His friend confessed to the murder 5 years after Jason was in prison and the family thought the saga was over and he did not get exonerated from prison. To date Jason McGee is in prison but goes before the Parole board today, September 24, 2007. Lets pray and talk to your children about the word snitching. It can save their life. Tell regardless if you think its wrong or right. It can be your child next time.

What Whirlpool executives, prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, police chiefs, cops, and other criminals in Berrien were his accomplices? Those who afforded him his well-known confidence and arrogance...

More media web comments:

Posted on Dec 1, 2008 This officer [Collins] operated in the Narcotics Office for years prior to this incident. And how is it possible that the department just figured out what was going on in February? They didn’t. That’s when their hands were tied and they had to do something. Numerous complaints were filed on this officer yet nothing was ever done. Up until this incident he was exempted from all violations because he brought money into the Benton Harbor Police Department, lots of money. If fingers are to be pointed for wrong doing, they should start at the top with the Chief. He is who let him run around reckless and operate any way without retribution or even the thought of being disciplined for his actions. So the real question is, why wouldn’t he try and get away with something like this if the Chief is on his side?

Posted on Dec 1, 2008 A lot of residents in Benton Harbor were affected by Collin's actions. Numerous complaints were filed on him and nothing was done. Like one of the other comments said, BHPD knew what was going on and never did anything. I hope Collins gets everything he deserves. To the other lady who posted “Don't forget this man has a family and people who love him”, what about the families he affected by his corruption? He wasn’t serving the duty he got hired for. I hope he gets the maximum that is allowed!

Posted on Dec 1, 2008 I know Andy...and I know he is not a wonderful guy. He was just looking for approval from his superiors, even if it meant breaking the law.

Posted on Dec 2, 2008 Thanks, Thanks alot Officer Collins. You just made Police Officers' jobs ever more difficult by your illegal actions. When a bad cop does bad, he makes all officers look bad.

Posted on Dec 3, 2008 What about the children of the people he has arrested (probably unlawfully), crying for their parent? We are all supposed to have sympathy, compassion and understanding for cops, while none is afforded their *victims*. Comfort yourself with one of their popular quotes, "guess you should have thought about that before you did it".

Posted on Dec 4, 2008 If you think it is only a few doing this then it is you who are ignorant, or you're corrupt and playing along. You might be able to get people who have never experienced police corruption to believe you, but more and more people are becoming witness to the corruption and the inconsistencies in your so-called truth.

Posted on Dec 8, 2008 When an Officer breaks the very law he is sworn to protect, there is no excuse - nice or not. He assaulted someone in Feb. and obviously has a criminal personality.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The planners of Harbor Shores know just what the county needs. From the following list of golf courses in the county, it's simply obvious that at least another course is essential to the well-being and economy of Berrien! And, who would think of traveling to a nearby county to try another course? Oh, by the way, golf course run-off is the number one cause of Great Lakes pollution.

NEW YORK, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's on Tuesday cut ratings on Whirlpool Corp (WHR.N) to one notch above speculative, or "junk" status and said it expects demand for home appliances to fall sharply in 2009.

The agency cut the company's corporate credit rating by one notch to "BBB-minus" and said the outlook is stable.

Whirlpool had about $3 billion of debt at end September.

The action "reflects Whirlpool's weakened operating performance and weaker-than-expected credit measures," S&P said in a statement.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Reports all over the web say: "U.S. attorney's office in Grand Rapids claims Benton Harbor 26-year-old Officer Andrew Collins used his position to steal seized drugs. The indictment also says he reported fictitious drug sales to improperly gain search warrants and embezzle police funds." Of course there's the mention of consistent drug-planting to arrest, convict & imprison innocent Benton Harborites. The question now is how many, who, and at what levels were his accomplices?

Here are comments from media websites such as WNDU.com:

--I always thought this type of stuff was in Hollywood. Wow. I'm thrown back by this one. Reminds me of the movie, Training Day.

Posted on Jan 11, 2009--Below, James described his impression of Collins as a "slick, lying, arrogant jerk." That's very interesting to me because I knew Collins for years, long before he became a police officer, and I had exactly the same impression. ...It's too bad, but he's just going to have to do his time. And many of us who have known him for years could see this coming.

Posted on Dec 26, 2008 --Sometimes organized crime gets one of their own on the force. If that's the case, the news won't talk about it, as a favor, you know, to the force, who have a kind of "understanding" with underworld elements as well as local beat reporters.

Posted on Dec 26, 2008--I was on the jury of a drug case where Officer Collins was the key testifier to the fact that the accused hid crack in the seat of his police cruiser while being detained. Office Collins came off as a slick, lying, arrogant jerk. I was an alternate juror, but had I been retained for the verdict, would have voted for innocence based on Officer Collin's testimony (I believed he set up the accused).

Saturday, January 17, 2009

The United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI and its law enforcement partners consider allegations of public corruption to be of the highest importance and priority. The respect and confidence the citizens place in their governmental institutions is dependent upon the honest and faithful services of the governmental employee. This office will aggressively pursue and prosecute governmental employees who violate their solemn oath and duties. This office will work diligently with its law enforcement partners to seek out and remedy any wrongful convictions resulting from [Andrew] Collins’ alleged criminal conduct.http://www.backgroundnow.com/blog/background-check/andrew-thomas-collins-former-benton-harbor-police-officer-charged-with-felony-drug-offense/

The Whirlpool Corporation, which dominates the political and economic life of the region, decided that a golf course would be the best use for 22 acres of local parkland. Under Rev. Pinkney's leadership, Benton Harbor's impoverished Blacks sought redress of this and other grievances through the electoral process - resulting in Rev. Pinkney's conviction by an all-white jury on charges of vote tampering. He was sentenced to a year in prison and five years probation. "A Black man's freedom of speech is not a right in Benton Harbor - it's a criminal offense." If, for some reason, Rev. Pinkney is ordered back to prison, he has every reason to believe that his life will be in danger. So we see that southwest Michigan is not very different than southwest Georgia. Corporate domination in Benton Harbor meshes quite nicely with your garden variety white racism that sentences Black men to prison for the simple exercise of their fundamental constitutional rights. Rev. Pinkney is no longer imprisoned, but is instead subjected to the same kinds of restrictions that were called "banning" in white-ruled South Africa. He is banned from exercising any of his political rights.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

WSJM reporting 1/7/08:Benton Harbor Commissioner Juanita Henry says she's being targeted by Chief of Police Al Mingo. Commissioner Henry pled guilty this week in Berrien County Trial Court for having an inoperable vehicle. Henry says the city dropped five other charges concerning an unmaintained shed and rubbish in her yard, but chose to plead guilty to the one charge to avoid going to court.

Henry says she believes Police Chief Al Mingo targeted her with related citations because she's been asking the department some "tough questions." But Mingo says those allegations are not true. [Over the past couple of years Ms. Henry has been vocal about police department problems such as drug planting, cops stealing cars to sell on ebay, people ticketing cars who are not sworn-in officers, and police work needing improvement.]

Monday, January 12, 2009

Congratulations to Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter in following up on crimes allegedly committed in the Benton Harbor Police Department's narcotics unit.

THE LAST THING COTTER SHOULD BE IS CONGRATULATED. HE WAS THE ONE WHO PROSECUTED ALL THESE PEOPLE. HE IS DISMISSING CHARGES ONLY BECAUSE THE FEDS ARE FORCING HIM TO. IN THE END, IT WILL INVOLVE OVER 100 PEOPLE.

Also, hats off to the state and local police who cooperated in the drug-trafficking investigation. YES, HATS OFF TO THE POLICE FOR SPENDING THEIR WORK HOURS AND OUR TAX MONEY ARRESTING PEOPLE WHO HAD DRUGS PLANTED ON THEM.

Hopefully, this is a start in improving on the consequences of laws involving narcotics.ARE YOU REFERRING TO NARCOTICS PLANTED BY OFFICERS?

In discussing narcotics and the prison population with a college professor friend recently, I agreed with him that the prison population should be reduced by less reliance on such tactics as: the use of jailhouse informants in trials; the use of cross-culture eye-witnesses in trials; poor public defense by court-appointed attorneys. AGREED.

According to Michigancampaignforjustice.org, Michigan is failing our public defense system. Our judges have shown interest in ideas that can improve justice in our midst. BERRIEN COUNTY JUDGES HAVE NOT SHOWN AN INTEREST IN ANYTHING BUT SENDING PEOPLE TO PRISON FOR ANY REASON AT ALL - THEY KNEW ABOUT THE DRUG PLANTING ALL ALONG. IN FACT, IT'S AGAINST BERRIEN COUNTY "LAW" FOR JUDGES TO TRY TO IMPROVE JUSTICE. THEIR ONLY JOB IS TO SEND PEOPLE TO JAIL OR PRISON, ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE.

Thanks to the officers and Cotter for making things right for the accused, and saving taxpayers many thousands of dollars. IF COTTER HAD BEEN AN HONEST PUBLIC SERVANT, HE WOULD NOT BE COSTING TAXPAYERS ANY MONEY AT ALL. NOT ONLY DID COTTER KNOW ABOUT ANDREW COLLINS PLANTING DRUGS ON INNOCENT CITIZENS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT THIS PRACTICE IS GOING ON TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN SHERIFF BAILEY'S DEPARTMENT. WILL FAIR-MINDED BERRIEN COUNTY CITIZENS GET INVOLVED?

Milt ZoschkeBenton Harbor

MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS SORRY SITUATION: County Prosecutor Art Cotter was point man for years for B.C. Courthouse and Whirlpool for arresting (AND REMOVING) Benton Harbor residents. Regarding the most prolific drug planter, Andrew Collins, he had a fight in St. Joe - police arrested him. He resigned and they abandoned their normal procedure of allowing an officer to clean out their locker, and did it for him. Such a huge amount of drugs was found that the chief had no choice but to report this to the Feds.Meanwhile, the investigation into two other city police officers is ongoing.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Editorial in January, 2009 edition of People's Tribunehttp://www.peoplestribune.org(excerpt)...Today, the town is almost a fascist dictatorship. When Rev. Edward Pinkney addressed the destruction of Benton Harbor by the corporations, city's rulers pulled out the race card to shut him up and to isolate the struggle from the rest of Michigan. They are well aware that the deteriorating industrial base of the entire state is creating anger among the previously well-paid white workers who also are being hurled into poverty. Racism serves to hide the reality that today, the white poor have more in common with the Black poor than they do with the corporations who have discarded them. Racism keeps the poor divided.Lastly, the first line of attack of the rulers is to isolate the leaders from the movement they represent. The attack on Rev. Pinkney is an attempt to render the movement ineffective. A movement that does not defend its leaders cannot grow. Benton Harbor shows what lies ahead. Let's defend ourselves by defending democracy in Benton Harbor!

Thursday, January 08, 2009

It would be nice to start the new year with something positive to say, or at least something true. Unfortunately, the Jan. 3 article about Harbor Shores did not live up to this goal. Once again, whoever wrote the Associated Press article has revived all the misleading propaganda supporting the developer's unsubstantiated claims while continuing to vilify those opposed to forfeiting irreplaceable public land for private gain.

Anyone who believes that an exclusive and redundant golf course is the best way to help the poor people of Benton Harbor probably also thinks that Sarah Palin would have made a great president. They also no doubt believe Harbor Shores' promise to restore what they have already destroyed, should developers lose in court. How do you rebuild a dune after the sand has been taken away to fill in wetlands, thereby destroying both? That is what they are up to right now, despite their assurances that further work would be suspended until spring.

It is not hard to see why they are in such a hurry, considering how fast the economic and political winds are changing. What if, by some miracle, the leaders of Benton Harbor suddenly decided to actually read the proposal and start asking questions about such things as nonexistent jobs, benefits and actual control, before it's too late? It's not likely, but I suppose it is possible.

It is no secret, despite their ingenuous and roundabout denials, that Harbor Shores has a perfectly viable contingency plan in case it fails to get its hands on JKP. The Plan B might crimp someone's short-term profits a bit, but in the end it could save Benton Harbor from irrelevance. Not many people would argue in favor of an affluent community giving up control of its only public land connecting it to Lake Michigan, especially in a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty. So why would it be good for a poor community?

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

The Dec. 24 bond release of Rev. Edward Pinkney of Benton Harbor is a victory for all Americans. For the past year, many people from across the country have struggled tirelessly to expose the outrageous injustice perpetrated by the courts of Berrien County. We knew all along that once word got out, that they were imprisoning a minister of the gospel for quoting Scripture, this travesty would not be allowed to stand.

However, Rev. Pinkney's release is only the first step. His appeal of the three-to-10-year prison sentence for quoting Scripture remains to be heard and decided. And in the meantime, Berrien County Judge Dennis Wiley has imposed additional onerous and unconstitutional conditions to his bond release. He specifically forbids Rev. Pinkney to speak publicly, preach in a church, write any article the court may consider "defamatory," or participate in an electoral campaign. It was Rev. Pinkney's 2008 Green Party candidacy for Congress that helped gain the publicity necessary to get him released. What is Berrien County so afraid of? Rev. Pinkney's case represents an ominous trend in the American court system. As our economy fails and poverty spreads, traditional political leaders locally and nationally seem to have no answer except corporate bailouts. The American people are beginning to protest and seek out new leaders like Rev. Pinkney. He was targeted because of the Gospel he preaches: to loose the chains of injustice, let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke; to share food with the hungry, house the homeless, and clothe the naked.

Similar leaders are rising and speaking out in Benton Harbors all across America. If Whirlpool and other global corporations have their way, these popular voices will be repressed, just as they have tried to silence Rev. Pinkney, and our democracy will die. It is up to all of us to defend our freedom to protest, and continue carrying on the battle for the economic justice envisioned in the Bible.

Sandy Perry

Sandy Perry is coordinator of the Spirit of the Revolution column in the Peoples Tribune newspaper, and he works with the Community Homeless Alliance Ministry in San Jose, CA. He speaks on the role of religion and spirituality in the revolutionary movement, and how we can draw on our diverse spiritual traditions as we fight for a society based on human need, not private profit. You can hear Sandy Perry at the People's Tribune Radio web site.

Sunday, January 04, 2009

On Oct. 27 the Michigan State Police questioned Benton Harbor chief of police Al Mingo *without permission from Whirlpool* on the theft of 2 guns and multiple police radios by BH police officers. State Police also released details of their investigation to the media. Unbelievably, Capt. Mays, the commander of the State Police Post in Bridgeman was forced, most likely by WPool, to apologize to chief Mingo for the questioning.

Despite the apology, the State Police are going ahead with a three part investigation of the BHarbor police: 1. guns stolen by police 2. selling cars on ebay which were stolen by police from BH residents 3. recently indicted officer Andrew Collins planting drugs on Benton Harbor residents for many years. (Collins arrested more BHarbor citizens than any other cop; he always kept drugs at the ready in his pocket for possible planting on citizens. His illegal behavior was known throughout the dept., by all the chiefs, by most BHarbor residents - many of whom have suffered immeasurably from his actions, and certainly by WPool and the Berrien County Courthouse - who possibly encouraged his illegal actions?)

Congratulations to the State Police for moving ahead with this work. There is a reason why Whirlpool controls law enforcement to behave a certain way in Benton Harbor,but completely differently in most of the rest of the county. It's been way too long that Whirlpool's boot has been on the neck of Berrien County, along with the assistance of Rep. Fred Upton.

City Manager Richard Marsh was hired by Whirlpool and does not yet quite understand how things work in Berrien County. One thing he seems to have learned, however, is to leave chief Mingo completely alone to do WPool's bidding.

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Here are excerpts from a (typical) Herald Palladium article on Benton Harbor and drugs. Emphasis and brackets telling the ugly truth added by Mrs.Dorothy Pinkney.

[Whirlpool's Man] Mingo vows to continue fight on drugs in city

[Just another article to keep fear alive. "Rehabilitation" and "Restorative Justice" unheard of in this isolated county]

J.Swida 12.30.08 - BENTON HARBOR - Police Chief Al Mingo said that restoring the community's confidence in the police department and continuing its war on drugs [passe concept, proven to be nonfuctional and unsuccessful - mob rule backwater Berrien County will use it to justify mass imprisonment] will be his top priorities in 2009.

"It is my goal to work closely with the courts, judges and prosecutor to bring and keep the city's drug issues under control," Mingo said. "I am committed to providing strong and ethical leadership in this area." [Officers from the BH police dept. have never honored their badges under Chief Mingo. Corruption has existed for decades.]

The department suffered a setback with the federal indictment in December of former narcotics officer Andrew Collins on drug charges. Mingo said he will not let up on the war against drugs in the city because 95 percent of all crimes committed in Benton Harbor are in some way connected to drugs. [Chief Mingo knew Officer Andrew Collins was planting drugs on the citizens of Benton Harbor. My husband and other citizens of BH reported Collins at several commissioners' meetings resulting in no investigations. Andrew Collins was given the 2007 Officer of the Year Award - for planting drugs on innocent citizens.]

Updating or enhancing the city's ability to communicate with other police agencies and enhancing community policing initiatives are two other top goals for the new year, the chief said. [Read: harrass, intimidate, arrest, jail as many BH residents as possible in '09]

Foot patrols downtown, in parks and in troubled neighborhoods would go a long way in bolstering crime prevention, he said. Becoming aggressive in the area of truancy would also be a crime reduction measure because young people would be in school instead of on the streets. [Wealthy golfers don't want to look at Black youth!]

Mingo said the expansion of Harbor Shores, Harbor Town and other developments will more than justify the need for increased personnel in the department. [Get those Black people outta here by any means necessary.]

This year, even with budget restraints, the department was able to retain five of the eight School Resource Officer positions that resulted from a federal COPS grant in 2004. Hiring an experienced grant-writer would help the department secure future funds and meet other goals, he said. [Watch the funneling of that grant money to Whirlpool, Fred Upton, and St. Joseph!]

Mingo said one of the biggest accomplishments in 2008 was assigning two officers to full-time community service initiatives. Working closely with schools and block clubs, the officers were able to engage the city's youth in worthwhile activities, like Shop With a Cop, Spring Break Bash and Summer Slam Basketball League, the chief said. [Two guns stolen from the police department is being investigated now. This was an inside job. Also, the police dept. was towing citizens' cars and selling them on ebay. You can't make this stuff up.]

Benton Harbor and Benton Township are among the few agencies in the area that have maintained their own dispatch centers, while most others have joined with Berrien County's central dispatch system. Mingo has said it would save money, with no loss in efficiency, to join the county system. City commissioners, so far, have not been receptive to the idea.[Giving Chief Mingo a vote of confidence is ridicious and the norm for Whirlpool-controlled BH and Berrien Cty. Mingo should be fired.]

Friday, January 02, 2009

Man jailed after drug raidJan 1, 09 1:08 BENTON HARBOR - A Benton Harbor man was arrested on drug trafficking charges Wednesday after police served a search warrant at his residence and found suspected crack cocaine and marijuana.

********** of **********was booked at the Berrien County jail on charges of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and maintaining a drug house, all second offenses.

********was also being held on a civil warrant for failing to appear in court to answer allegations of failing to pay child support.

Detective Sgt. Robert Boyce of the Berrien County sheriff's Narcotics Unit said a search warrant for ******** residence was obtained after a monthlong investigation.

Sheriff's officers served the warrant at 8:15 a.m. and found four adults and three juveniles in the house, Boyce said.

The search turned up suspected crack cocaine with a street value of $500, a small amount of suspected marijuana and other evidence, Boyce said. The juveniles were turned over to family members and three of the adults who were in the house were not charged, Boyce said.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

I know a winner when I see one. I could sense it in Edward Pinkney the first time I saw him speak in 2005. Since then, I've watched him brave assaults on his dignity that would have sent lesser men to the crazy house or to their grave.Just before Thanksgiving, I secured a TV studio equipped with a speakerphone and a fifteen-minute appointment to interview Rev. Pinkney. My friend John Mann was with me, and we waited tensely in the minutes before the appointed time, wondering if it was all going to fall through. If you know anything about the judicial system, you will know why we were concerned.When Pinkney comes on, his no-nonsense attitude is evident, his spirit untouched by his current surroundings. He tells a story about a guard accusing him of doing others' legal work (is that a crime?), shaking him down and breaking his radio. He then relates how another guard told him to take his radio to have it repaired only to be accused, when he got there, of being there without permission. He talks about life at Ojibway: "…you are in a place where you don't have soap to wash your hands…" and, using toilet paper, "you roll one sheet at a time." Although his voice always carries a hint of humor, he states matter-of-factly, "I'm very concerned about not only my health, but also my safety."John asked him why they arrested him the day after Cynthia McKinney came to town to support him. He says simply, "They can't stand to see that much power in one man."He states emphatically, "We have to channel our energy toward justice for all, not one, two, three people… We have to think of every single person—even the ones who don't want to fight, even the ones who don't want to stand up. We have to stand up for them, to show them there is another way of doing things"He insists that this fight is not about him. If that were the case, he says, "If they get rid of me, they get rid of everybody." Unfortunately for Berrien County, the opposite has happened: putting the Reverend in a cage has only opened them up for ever greater scrutiny, as the ACLU is now bringing Pinkney's appeal. The National Lawyers Guild has teamed up with him as well. Perhaps the rampant racism that passes for justice in St. Joe will be dragged out in the light for a little while.Fast-forward to December 18th—a hearing in the BC courthouse to decide the amount of Pinkney's bail pending his appeal. The magistrate, Dennis Wiley, puts me in the mind of a cowboy in a judge suit. I've got a few adjectives to describe him, but "judicious" is not one of them. He sits fuming, hair uncombed, trying to look like a calm bloody lunatic, inventing new ways to stall this proceeding. But this time, with the young ACLU guns present, even the assistant prosecutor is not going along with the usual miscarriage of justice in good old St. Joe. Although the judge practically insisted that he take a few days to come up with written arguments, he didn't take the bait, and the hearing rolls on. As of this writing, though, Pinkney has still not been released. The last I heard, Wiley refused to sign the necessary papers to allow him to return home to his wife.Last night, I spoke to Dorothy Pinkney. Although her husband isn't home yet, she sees light at the end of the tunnel. "It's the season of miracles," she says.Pray for a big one.[Pinkney was released on Dec. 24th, pending his appeal.]

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Rev. Edward Pinkney - How BANCO Started:

"Many years ago I was going about my life believing that the justice system was just that until I started going to the court house to observe all the wrong convictions. There are numerous factors for wrongful convictions in the Berrien County court system. Most of the problems are in the local judicial system."

"It's hard to believe that in the year 2012 we have a county in Michigan with a legal system this antiquated and racist. What's harder to believe is that no one at the State or National level is taking any action to remedy the situation."

"We cannot run society for the privileged and allow a significant proportion of the population to be marginalized. It impacts the quality of life for all of us. If we have throwaway people, a justice system which tolerates injustice is doomed to collapse. I am truly ready for action."